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Mertens vs Benjamin

199 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (25 min in Benjamin) and property tax bill (+90% in Mertens).

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Mertens, TXHomes around $204KTexas · 123 people

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Benjamin, TXKnown for its schoolsTexas · 266 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

MertensHomes around $204K

Housing$204K typical home32% below the TX typical home All about Mertens →

BenjaminKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 85%of TX districts All about Benjamin →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Average commute25 min

Benjamin has the shorter commute

Mertens 49 minBenjamin 24 min

Property tax bill+90%

Tax bills are bigger in Mertens

Mertens $1,600Benjamin $844

Typical home built20 yrs

Benjamin’s homes are older

Mertens 1975Benjamin 1955

Street grid+63%

Benjamin has the more walkable street grid

Benjamin 75.3Mertens 46.1

Benjamin is the bigger place

Benjamin 266Mertens 123

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $980 more a month in Mertens

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Mertens$1,380/mo

Typical home $204K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.82% · or rent about $630/mo · Housing →

Benjamin$400/mo

Typical home $63K (Census) · tax rate 1.34% · or rent about $527/mo · Housing →

The difference: $980 a month, about $11,800 a year, between Mertens and Benjamin.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Texas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

–MertensNot graded ABenjaminBetter than 85% of districts in the state

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

MertensBenjamin

Snow a year0″1″

January low—30°F

July high—97°F

Growing season (days)—227d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)23rd 39th

Community

MertensBenjamin

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

199 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MertensTX BenjaminTX

Mertens ↔ Benjamin199 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Texas average

MertensBenjamin

People

Population 123Lowest 266Highest

Median age 30.3±1.5Highest 15% below TX 25.5±11.5Lowest 28% below TX

Mertens and Benjamin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 26.8%±28.9Lowest TX: 25% 46.6%±2.1Highest TX: 25%

Benjamin and Mertens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 13.8%±30.4Highest TX: 13.4% 9%±11.6Lowest TX: 13.4%

Mertens and Benjamin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 9%Lowest TX: 33.8% 12.1%Highest TX: 33.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±13Highest TX: 6.2% 0%±8Lowest TX: 6.2%

Mertens and Benjamin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $43,000±$14kLowest 45% below TX $52,708±$13kHighest 33% below TX

Benjamin and Mertens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $88,000±$14kHighest 69% below TX $62,900±$26kLowest 78% below TX

Mertens and Benjamin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $630±$112Highest 55% below TX $527±$179Lowest 62% below TX

Mertens and Benjamin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,600Highest 62% below TX $844Lowest 80% below TX

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 TX: 51.7% 0%±100 TX: 51.7%

Below poverty line 10.9%Highest TX: 13.8% 4%Lowest TX: 13.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.5%Lowest TX: 62.6% 60.4%Highest TX: 62.6%

Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 17 yrs older than TX 1955Lowest 37 yrs older than TX

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 49 minHighest 83% above TX 24 minLowest 9% below TX

Work from home 0%±30.6 TX: 14.4% 0%±16.5 TX: 14.4%

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 48.8 miLowest 77.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.00Lowest 0.22Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Hillsboro (13%)Knox City (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BenjaminFew work in Mertens

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 46.1Lowest 75.3Highest

Texas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Mertens neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mertens’s Town Square.

Benjamin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benjamin’s Town Square.

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Towns like Mertens

Kennard270 people · $105K homes

Toco76 people · $35K homes

Barry236 people · $165K homes

Sadler230 people

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.